Rest for the Wicked
by Megga B
Summary: When Jack Spicer shows up at the Xiaolin temple, beaten and bruised and without a place to stay, Kimiko finds herself caring for him. What exactly has been happening to him? Jackxkim Chap 4 UP
1. A Late Night Visit

Chapter 1: A Late Night Visit

The Chinese night was warm and clear and full of the songs of enthusiastic crickets as the Xiaolin dragon of fire made her way across the temple courtyard. Her eyes squinted against the light of the candle she held, she allowed her weary feet to drag beneath her, leading her to a destination she had already forgotten about. The stars overhead twinkled and winked at her as though they knew something that she did not. Shadows flickered around her and for a moment she swore she saw one move amongst an assortment of robust potted plants but when she aimed the light at the location, all she could see was the gentle movements of the vines swaying in the breeze.

'_I must be tired…'_

A little more awake now, she shook her head, finally remembering where she was going at such an hour; to the kitchen for a late night snack.

Things had been oddly quiet lately. Besides daily chores, training, and the occasional appearance of a newly activated Shen-Gong-Wu, nothing exciting had happened for at least a month. Even Jack Spicer had not been present at a Wu site, or anywhere else, for that matter, for over six months and Kimiko actually had to admit that his absence was almost disappointing. Without an arch-villain to confront, gathering Wu had become a dull experience for her and the boys, and even Jack Spicer's intolerable presence would have been welcome.

"Who's there?" At the base of the steps that led up to the kitchen, Kimiko had stopped and whirled around, holding her candle high. "Show yourself!" There was a rustling and a small "Ow!" And who would stumble out from behind a statue but Jack Spicer, his hands held before him in a submissive gesture.

Kimiko sneered at him, even though her heart was sighing with relief. No matter how big of a nuisance Jack was, Kimiko was still glad to see he was alive. "What are you doing here you slimy… little…?" But any and all anger (false or not) evaporated at the sight of him. He looked as though he'd been on the run from something very strong for a very long time. His goggles were askew and his flaming hair was matted and darker than usual in some places, as though he'd suffered from head wounds recently. He was paler, and his cloths were ripped and worn, under witch she could see a number of cuts and bruises some old, some as fresh as if they'd happened minutes ago.

"Jack?" She whispered, and he actually flinched.

"Kimiko… I'm not here to fight you." His voice was hoarse, and he raised his hands higher to show he didn't want violence.

"Well obviously!" She exclaimed, eyeing his diminished condition. "What in the world happened to you?"

"I can't tell you." He swayed on his feet, but regained balance. "You'll think I'm crazy."

"Jack, I already think you're crazy."

He sighed, deeply, and mumbled "Thank you for reassuring that phobia…"

"Whatever, why are you here?"

He blushed and shuffled his feet awkwardly. "I-I need a place to stay for a while-"

"No _way._" Her eyes swiveled over to the vault. She knew what he was after, and this lame little scheme was going to get him no where.

She'd expected him to whine, to hug her legs and beg, to milk the water works for all they were worth, but he did none of that. What he did do, however was make her feel extremely guilty. His face drooped slightly and he turned away from her, his heli-pack (nearly as battered as he was) engaged and ready to take flight. She groaned inwardly ay her inability to turn away any wounded creature and called to him "Jack! Wait…"

He turned to look at her, his crimson eyes dulled with exhaustion and rejection.

"I guess we could arrange a bunk for you, but please, promise me you won't go after our Wu." She transferred all the trust she could muster in her gaze and he nodded.

"I promise." And although Kimiko knew better, she really truly wanted to believe in him. A quick analysis of his body language told her that he was either an extremely talented liar (which, she knew, he was) or that he was actually telling the truth. There was no triumphant little smirk no guilty avoidance of her eyes… he just stared back at her, as if daring her to question his intentions. She suddenly had to wonder if, perhaps, he really just needed a place to stay.

"I-I guess you can stay, Jack, but would you please tell me what happened to you?" She asked her hands upon her hips as she observed him. "Why are you so beat up? Why can't you stay at your own house-"

"Lair."

"Whatever!"

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I desperately need to sleep."

"You're avoiding my questions."

I'm hungry too, what kind of food you people keep here?" His stomach released an angry growl as he climbed the steps into the kitchen.

"Hey! You can't just walk right in there." Kimiko ran up the stairs after him, and found him rummaging through their pantry.

He pulled out a white package with some Chinese writing on it and exclaimed "Mmm… Rice Cakes."

"Gimme those!" Kimiko growled and snatched the package away from him. He produced the most pitiful pout she had ever seen.

"Hey, give those back."

"Not until I get some answers."

Releasing a frustrated groan, Jack plopped to the floor. Kimiko suddenly noticed the blood that had dripped beneath him.

"I'm beat up because I've been on the run for a while, and I can't go home because home doesn't exist any more." Scowling, he snatched the package back and tore it open, beginning to eat ferociously, as though he hadn't eaten a thing in days. Kimiko slowly digested this information as she watched his pitiful performance.

"On the move? Are you running from something?"

"It's none of your business…" he grumbled through a mouth full of rice cake, avoiding her curious eyes.

"And your house?"

"Gone. Disintegrated." He ran a gloved hand nervously through his matted hair. "Mom and dad are going to kill me."

"Jack, what are you running from?"

"Who said I was running?" He snapped, a little too quickly. Kimiko smirked at him.

"You did, just now."

Growling, Jack got shakily to his feet and limped to the doorway. "Can I go to sleep now?"

She looked at him, seriously worried. "Jack, if you tell me what happened, then maybe I can help you."

"No one can help me." He whispered. "I just want to sleep…"

"Don't you want to get cleaned up first?"

"No." Without a glance back, he descended the stairs, stopping in the courtyard only when he remembered that Kimiko had to show him to his room.

"_If you tell me what happened, maybe I can help you, Jack!" _He mocked, once Kimiko had excited his small and oh so humble quarters that master Fung had grudgingly allowed him to occupy. "Bah! Like she knows anything…" He removed his heli-pack and coat and placed them aside and with an indignant sniff, crawled beneath the single blanket he had been provided with.

He hated those damn mats they made the monks sleep on. No better than the floor… but he was glad just to have a safe place to lay his head.

'_Jack Spicer, Evil Boy Genius, reduced to this. How terribly pathetic, asking your enemies for shelter.'_

He winced at his own thought and buried his face in his hands. And just before he allowed himself to sleep, he'd thought he'd seen a looming figure outside the sliding screen. In fact, he was sure he had.

Chapter one complete!

XS has become my most recent obsession, and hopefully the show will be enough to make me start writing again. Please review.


	2. Kimiko's Realization

**A/N: Wow guys. I truthfully did not expect nine reviews on Rest's first day… Thank you. I'm glad people are enjoying this little project so far, and since I have so many reviews, I decided to update as soon as possible. Be prepared for lots n' lots of updates!**

Chapter 2: Kimiko's Realization

The morning sun's rays crept slowly across the hilly countryside, striking farmhouses, cars and rice-fields, bringing with them the joy of a new day. They traveled fast, as only light could, and in no time, had crept upon the impressive land mark that was the Xiaolin temple, sneaking inside open windows, and bearing down on its inhabitants. But they were not prepared for the shiny bald head of one little monk, which reflected them almost instantly. At the warmth, the monk's eyes opened, and a grin became plastered on his face.

"Ahh! A fine rest indeed." Yawned Omi, as he expelled himself from the tangles of his blanket. "But now it is time to wake. There is much training to do! Wake up, my friends!"

Bounding from within his own cubical, Omi bounced into the one next to his, where Clay's thunderous snores rattled the temple rafters. "Wake up, Clay! There is much to do, and no time in which to do it in."

Clay's snores ceased and, blinking at the enormous, smiling face before his own, mumbled "I think you mean… oh never mind."

"At them and up! We have much to do!" Climbing down from atop Clay's chest, Omi turned his attention to the next lumpy shadow he could see through the dividing screen. "Raimundo!"

The lumpy shape shifted, obviously hiding his head beneath his pillow. Omi grinned, and ran to the last cubical.

"Kimiko! It is time to float and burn brightly!"

"Rise and shine…" Raimundo grumbled from next to him.

Stopping at the entrance to Kimiko's stall, Omi looked over the shapeless lump on the floor and to a tuft of bright red hair that stuck out of the top. "Kimiko? I did not know you had red hair."

At this, the two other boys sat up immediately. Omi held up a finger in understanding and grinned at his own ingenious. "Oh! You have merely acquired a new doing of your hair-"

"Out of the way, Omi." Raimundo pushed the young monk aside and ripped the blanket from atop Jack Spicer, who was in his sleeveless Frankenstein shirt and black pants, sleeping soundly. Shivering, he groped with one gloved hand for the blanket, and, upon discovering its absence, opened his eyes slowly, and fearfully. Looming above him were the figures of the three Xiaolin boys, Clay looking stern, Raimundo looking disgusted and Omi looking terribly confused. He released a squeak of fear and shakily raised a hand in greeting, forcing himself to grin. "H-hi guys."

"What have you done with Kimiko?" Raimundo had grabbed the collar of his shirt. Jack gulped.

"I… wha-?"

"Kimiko, you bumbling idiot!" Raimundo spat, throwing Jack around like a rag doll. "Where is she?"

"I'm right here." Standing just behind the boys, a bowl of steaming water in one hand and a first aid kit in the other, was Kimiko. Her eyes swiveled over the scene before her and she frowned deeply.

"Rai, let go of him. I've already got my work cut out for me without you adding to it."

Forever obedient, Raimundo did as he was told and dropped Jack, who fell to the ground with an "Oof" while Kimiko pushed the road block aside. She kneeled down before Jack and, taking a rag from within the first aid kit, dipped it in the steaming water.

"Uh… Kimiko? What are you doing?" Raimundo inquired, watching her work with concern. "Why are you helping Jack Spicer?"

"Because," Kimiko said, as she wringed out the rag, "he needs help, and I am inclined to give it to him. And why are you all still here?" The fiery female of the group rounded on their leader, her eyes flashing dangerously. "I can't work with you all staring at me like that. Out! OUT!"

Scrambling to escape her wrath, the three boys tumbled over each other, out of the room and into the hall. Kimiko gave them all a "Humph" and ripped the curtain closed around her and Jack.

Raimundo stalked away down one hallway, looking thoroughly pissed, and Clay headed down another, looking thoughtful. Omi sat in the middle, confused.

* * *

Jack watched in amazement as Kimiko nearly ripped the curtain off its track. What was she doing? Just a few months ago this monk was referring to him as a repulsive sissy boy, and now she was actually denying her friends the chance to beat him to a pulp for the fun of it. And she felt inclined to help him? What did that mean? Did she think she owed him something? 

He doubted it. And yet… he couldn't help but hope that perhaps, Kimiko was…

'_What? Finally seeing you for the gorgeous hunk you are? Don't make me vomit.'_

"Jack?" Kimiko's concerned face swam into focus. "Are you alright?"

Jack shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Me? Oh… yeah. I'm fine."

"Sorry about those three… I kinda forgot to get them up last night to tell them you were here." She picked her rag up off the floor and dipped it back into the water. "Now, where would you like to start?"

"Start?"

"On your wounds." She held up the dripping rag for emphasis. "Gotta start somewhere."

"I… Why are you helping me?"

"I've answered that-"

"The real reason…"

Kimiko visibly faltered. "I…"

'_Face it. She's doing it because she feels sorry for you. She thinks you're pathetic, that you can't take care of yourself.'_

'_Shut the hell up.'_

"I…" She seemed to be wondering herself, and Jack stared at her as she rung her hands together. "Because… I want you to trust me as much as I'm trusting you."

Stunned, Jack could only stare at her as she began to absently lay out the supplies she would need. '_She really trusts me.'_

"Kimiko…"

"Hold still," She interrupted him, and brought the cloth up to his forehead to wipe the dried blood from around a large gash. "This is antibacterial… it may sting a little."

"I can do this myself. You don't have to do it." He eyed the needle and thread she had lain out with a nervous twitch. Sure, he could sew himself up, but having someone else do it, especially Kimiko would be too strange for him. At least alone he could sob freely without comment from bystanders.

"If I do it, then I know it's been done properly." She said with a glance at him.

"Humph. If you knew how many times I've done this…"

She scoffed. "You? Try living with three self-destructive boys."

"Try building robots from nothing but scrap metal you find in the garbage. That stuff's sharp."

'_Then try having four immensely strong enemies who like to beat the living hell out of you for fun.' _

He frowned, a thought hitting him. "You've never cared before. I could fly home from a showdown with half a limb missing and you'd just laugh. Why are you suddenly worried about me?"

Kimiko avoided his eyes. He could tell she was thinking of some complete bull to satisfy him with. She ceased wiping the blood from his forehead, sitting back on her calves. "Jack… We... We've done a lot of things we aren't proud of." She whispered finally, her head bowed. "At least, that _I'm_ not proud of. And I know Clay's not. I talked to him about it once."

'_She knows.' _He thought in a panic. _'She knows exactly what I'm talking about.' _

"I mean… since you've been gone, we've all done a lot of changing."

Jack sneered at her. She was unbelievable! "How much changing could you possibly do in a month, Kimiko? Please, I may be thick, but I'm not a complete idiot."

"Jack… it's been half a year."

He froze, his disgusted sneer fading. "Half a year?" He whispered, and she nodded grimly at him.

"We'd thought you'd been killed."

"Six months." He could hardly believe it. _'Six months of my life wasted… but has it really been that long?' _"You're lying."

"No, Jack. It's really and truthfully been six months."

He didn't even notice when she began to clean around a cut on his right cheek. He stared blankly ahead at nothing in particular, but in his mind, he was seeing so much more. _'I've missed so much… I'm eighteen now.' _

"I can't believe you haven't noticed…" Kimiko said, dabbing the side of his face.

"I can't either."

* * *

Leaving Jack to his own thoughts, Kimiko excited her quarters. She had allowed him to transfer from his, which was terribly and depressingly bare and cold, to her own, more homey room the night before. She left him looking alone and unloved amongst all the gifts her father had sent her from home, and she had to wonder if his own parents had even noticed he was gone. 

'_Serves him right for being such a slimy…'_

But she stopped herself from completing the thought, thinking of what he'd said to her before. _"I could fly home with half a limb missing and you'd just laugh…"_

She knew he was referring to all the times they had beaten him up, laughed at him, made fun of him. The Xiaolin warriors had always seen him as this weird little wanna-be with an authority complex and a knack for humiliating himself, but they had never before considered the fact that he might just have feelings. Feelings beyond his hatred for anything good. Feelings that could be hurt. All this time, he'd been a lonely kid craving something he probably had never had before; friends, and love from those friends.

'_Oh God, what have we done…'_

She had never felt more disgusted with herself in her entire life. Is that why she was helping him? Because of the guilt she felt for her past actions?

"God Jack, I'm so sorry…" She whispered, watching his shadow through the curtain. "I really hope that you can forgive us. All of us."

* * *

A/N: and that's when I add my sad face. 

Wow, Omi is a grammar check nightmare. Half the freakin' page was filled with these little green lines. Ugh.

Don't worry guys. The story will pick up in the next chapter, which will hopefully be done in a couple days. Chapter three will introduce the actual plot. Please Read and Review.


	3. A Gathering of Shadows

Chapter 3: A Gathering of Shadows

The sun was setting, and the sky was cast with a playful cotton candy swirl of purples and reds. Lightning bugs were beginning to appear in the courtyard, the flying ones signaling to possible future mates below, who signaled back like a couple kids playing Marco-Polo. The air had cooled, leaving a perfect night to kick back and enjoy the beautiful atmosphere, and although a certain number of Xiaolin Monks were kicking back, none of them were doing any enjoying. Kimiko had called a meeting, that evening, and these meetings were never a time for joy.

Omi had brought along one of Kimiko's game systems he had nicked from her room and was playing merrily with it, oblivious of the tense mood around him. Clay had come to the circle with some widdling he was working on and began to carve out a shape with a sigh. Raimundo had come bearing his MP3 player and was listening to it with his arms crossed and his disposition moody. Kimiko brought only herself and her determined attitude. They sat in their favorite corner, the one to the north where a couple stone benches and rocks had been conveniently placed for them. A lantern hung suspended from a wooden pole stuck in the ground, casting an eerie shadow over the four teens. They all waited in silence for a while until Kimiko took the initiative, standing up and addressing them.

"We need to talk." Was her blatant comment, and when everyone ignored her, each wrapped up in their own activities, she snatched the devices away with an angry growl of frustration. "Listen to me. This is serious stuff!"

"If it has anything to do with Jack Spicer and how _nice_ we're supposed to be to him, then I don't want any part of it," Raimundo said, his arms remaining crossed.

Glowering, Kimiko pretended she had not heard him while she placed their stuff aside. Omi and Clay looked slightly ashamed, but Raimundo just appeared angry. "Listen guys, there's something weird happening with Jack-"

"Like there wasn't anything weird about him before…" Raimundo said with a chuckle.

"_-and_," Kimiko continued, ignoring Raimundo once more. "I think it's our duty as Xiaolin monks to help him out. And yes, Raimundo, helping him out also means being nice to him while doing so."

"Kimiko? Why should we trust him now?" Clay asked, rubbing his chin. "He's only ever been a slippery little bastard before, and there's nothing to suggest that he's changed at all."

Kimiko sighed. "He's no threat to us anymore, Clay. He's injured and homeless, and just needs our help. And, I truly believe, our friendship." She rubbed her temples. "Anyway, my whole point for this meeting is to tell you guys that, although you may not like it, Jack will be staying with us until he can compose himself. Master Fung has agreed to let him stay, and that should be good enough for you."

Omi and Clay smiled at Kimiko and gave her nods of reassurance. Raimundo on the other hand did not seem happy.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Jack had always known he was different. Too smart for school, he'd dropped out in his sophomore year to pursue world conquest, much to the disappointment of his parents, who had hoped for a normal child. He'd found a small peace of mind in his hobby; robotics. He moved into his parent's basement when he'd found his room too small and fragile to handle his massive and dangerous creations. He'd almost blown himself to pieces a number of different times. Once completely happy with the markings around his eyes, he'd actually gotten tattoos of them for a more permanent effect. He'd made robotic cheerleaders…

But despite all this, Jack had never considered himself insane. Everyone had always told him he was crazy. But he could never see what was so crazy about him… and weird.

Until a number of months ago when he discovered that he was seeing things that others couldn't.

Perhaps others couldn't see it... but he knew damn well that it was real.

And when he'd spotted it outside his screen the night Kimiko had shown him to his room, he'd known right then that he couldn't stay at the Xiaolin temple any longer than a couple of days. It became particularly irritated when he stayed in one place for too long.

He had to keep moving… it was the only way.

So that night, he found himself packing up his meager belongings, all of which included his coat, heli-pack, and goggles, and prepared himself mentally for another agonizing trip. It was three in the morning when he slipped on his coat and heli-pack, and tenderly, his goggles, to avoid the bandages Kimiko had so caringly applied to his head. It was three fifteen when he ransacked the Xiaolin kitchen, stealing almost a month's worth of food and stuffing it into a sack he'd found. It was three thirty when he filled a number of water bottles up from the fountain out in the courtyard. It was three forty five when he peeked into Kimiko's little cubical to look at her one last time, nodding a small goodbye, and it was three fifty when he sat upon the bench outside the temple, his head buried in his hands and his sack of stolen food lying on the ground next to him.

'_I don't want to leave…'_

His time at the Xiaolin temple was the first time in months he'd actually felt safe… protected. He ran his hands through his hair. _'But I have to. I can't stay here and…'_

'_Jack… you can't be trying to-'_

'_Shut up. I don't need this right now.'_

'_Oh, but you _do _need me, Jack. Without me, you're nothing.'_

Around him, the shadows flickered and danced.

'_I don't need anybody.'_

A slowly dieing lantern by the entryway to the kitchen was suddenly extinguished completely. Jack's heart began to race.

'_You need me more than you realize, Jack Spicer.'_

The shadows that had not disappeared as a result of the burnt out lantern were slithering to a spot right in the middle of the courtyard, as the night around Jack became thick with a claustrophobic aura he couldn't seem to shake. Any light the shadows writhed over was instantly snuffed out, and soon, no lights were left on at all. Only the light of the slivered moon shown upon the suddenly cramped and horrifying place, and even that was limited. Terrified, Jack could only sit and stare as the shadows took form, merging into one being, a being that looked increasingly familiar. A being that looked like-

"Jack?"

Instantly everything was reversed. The shadows swooped back into their original positions, the lanterns exploded into life, and from the slowly waning darkness emerged Kimiko, her face full of concern.

"Are you-?"

"I'm leaving." He stated bluntly, but continued to stare in vacant horror at the spot the shadows had gathered to. Only when Kimiko came nearer to him did he jump up from his spot, sling the sack of food over his shoulder and engage his heli-pack. A hand on the sleeve of his coat stopped him from taking off.

"Jack, you really should stay."

"No, I really shouldn't."

"Please… just one more day?"

'_You should stay, Jack…' _Inside his head, a bout of maniacal laughter started and grew, and he suddenly found himself mindlessly agreeing to stay, saying with a casual shrug "Sure, why not."

Kimiko smiled at him. "Thank you. Oh, and Jack."

"What?"

With a deep frown, she pointed towards the kitchen. "Put our food back."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

After she'd seen all the food back to its proper place, and Jack himself, back to his room, Kimiko retreated to her own cubical, her mind a mess of thoughts. When Jack had agreed to stay there for another day, his eyes had glazed over and his determined frown had faded, leaving only a neutral straight line. It seemed to her that _Jack_ had not agreed to stay, but that someone _else_ had done it for him.

She had a strange dream that night. Jack was in it, of course, but there was two of him. Each stood at a fork in a road, one attempting to convince her to go down the left road while another tried to get her to travel the right one. Kimiko could see nothing down the left path, it was so dark, but the right one led to a clear blue sky and bright sunshine. But just as she was about to choose, Kimiko found herself being shaken awake roughly by Raimundo. His face was grim.

"It's Jack."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

A/N- I would like to apologize for the extended amount of time between chapters two and three… I've been very busy lately with work, and school starts back up on Wednesday, which isn't fun.

I know this chapter doesn't open up the plot like I'd said it would… but chapter 4 will, and I mean it this time Don't question me!

I'd like to thank all of my reviewers! You guys rock. As soon as I figure out how to navigate this new format completely, I'll begin answering you with proper E-mails and such.

Happy reading! Please review.


	4. Resistance

**AN- Wow this week has been terrible. School sucks and somehow I'm able to lose everything that happens to be due at that time. Seriously, I'd just put the damn thing away, where could it have gone? I tried explaining to my history teacher that he has to be rigging the papers with retractable legs that activate whenever he says the words "Take out (insert random chapter/section here) packet and hand them up the row", and carries the little devil out of the room. He proceeded to inform me that my sarcasm is not appreciated in his class and to see him after school, but not before pointing out that the rest of the class's papers had not sprouted legs. **

**It's a conspiracy, I swear. And that's my sorry excuse for not updating sooner; school sucks.**

**Anyway, here's chapter four of Rest for the Wicked. Enjoy.**

**And as a side note; I do NOT own Xiaolin Showdown. **

Chapter 4 – Resistance

_With tired, bloodshot eyes, he glanced at the clock. Enormous, glowing red numbers announced 12:00am and releasing an exhausted groan, Jack allowed his head to collapse into his elbow, which rested on the desk in front of him. Besides his elbow, the desk held the unrecognizable remnants of the last Jackbots to come into contact with the Xiaolin dragons. They had not even survived ten seconds. _

_Slowly, the wrench he held slipped from his loosening fingers, and crashed to the floor with a clang that echoed around the dark basement he called his lair. He snapped back awake, and almost mechanically, retrieved his wrench and began working again. According to Wuya and her sensors, he had very little time left before the next Wu revealed itself, and the Jackbots, although almost completely useless in a fight at this point, needed to be repaired. Perhaps he could send in less this time… less robots destroyed meant less work for him, and he could continue the research he'd begun the day before. _

_He was nodding off again, and he had to slap himself. He reached over to twist a knob on his boom-box, turning it up louder. Maybe the intense beat of a little death metal would keep him awake. _

_After twisting the left arm of a bot back into its socket, Jack stood up to admire his work. The fully repaired robot looked as though it had not been a glistening pile of scrap metal only hours before. But now came the tricky part. _

"_There has to be a safer way to do this." He grumbled. _

_Turning the gold and black robot around, Jack pressed a latch on its back, which released the door that exposed the complex circuitry within it. Two last wires had to be connected, and these two were the most dangerous and troublesome of them all. _

_Placing his goggles down over his eyes, Jack reached within the bot and found the bright red and dark blue wires that resided in the very middle. The first one, the red one, was basically the plug. It supplied the robots "brain" with power from the fusion core within it, and Jack replaced the end of it into the black box above it that served as its mind. The little robot instantly powered on, and Jack quickly removed his hand from within it, bracing himself. But the expected explosion did not come, and he sighed with relief. Next came the blue wire. _

_The blue wire was a more recent addition to his bots. It supplied the "brain" with artificial intelligence from the emotion chips he'd installed, allowing it to feel… well, just about anything a human being could feel._

_Including fear. And it was this fear that Jack feared. _

_The blue wire held between his quivering fore-finger and thumb, he closed his eyes and positioned its end at the second opening in the brain. _

_Still in battle mode when it had been destroyed, the robots data would continue to be in battle mode until Jack reset it. And to reset it, he first had to turn it on. With Jackbots positioned straight ahead of him, ready to catch their fellow when it activated, Jack turned his face away from the bot, his eyes clenched shut, and jammed the wire into its appropriate socket. _

_He'd tried to remove his hand from it in time, but found himself too slow, as the suddenly engaged blades hacked at his arm, tearing the sleeve of his coat and sending blood everywhere. _

"_Gah!" he screamed, and quickly slapped his uninjured hand over his mouth._

_Too late. _

"_Dammit, Jack!" from upstairs came a booming voice, and the sounds of a foot being stamped repeatedly on his ceiling. "We're trying to sleep up here."_

_Jack cringed as he removed his hand from his mouth. "S-sorry guys."_

"_I'll give you something to be sorry about, boy…" His father snarled. "One more sound…"_

"_David, be nice!" the softer voice of his mother commanded. "Go to bed, Jackie. You can finish… whatever it is you're doing in the morning."_

"_Alright. Night Mom." Jack had no intention of going to bed. In fact, he expected to be up another five hours. He would just have to be more careful. Clutching his bleeding arm, Jack turned to see that the Jackbots had successfully contained their brother. He walked over gloomily and flipped a switch on its back, restarting it. It ceased attempting to destroy the beings around it, and proceeded to calmly float next to the others. _

_Sighing and wincing, Jack pointed to one of his robotic servants. "You, get me the first aid kit, please." _

_With a salute, it zoomed off to the bathroom upstairs to fetch the kit. The newly repaired Jackbot looked (if it could be called looking) over Jack's injuries, and seemed to sink into itself. In a metallic and toneless voice, it asked, "Did I do that, Jack?"_

_Jack smiled. He'd never told anyone exactly why he'd given these things emotion chips, and he probably never would._

"_Yeah, you did. But it's cool."_

"_No." It hovered over to Jack's side, and as gently as a floating lump of metal could, peeled away the sleeve of his coat to reveal the gashes beneath it. Jack hissed, his teeth clenched. "You're hurting."_

"_Eh, it's not that bad." He ground out, moving his arm away. "Nothing more than the Xiaolin losers have ever done. In fact, this is nothing." But he was unconvincing and his eyes were beginning to water with pain. Truth be told, the slashes were pretty large, and Jack considered himself lucky that the blades had not taken off his whole arm. They were slowly becoming outlined by a thick shade of purple as the mutilated flesh around them bruised._

"_I'm sorry." The Jackbot he'd sent away to fetch the first aid kit had returned with said kit wrapped in one of its claws. Jack took it and set down at his desk, removing the items he'd need. "Is there anything I can do…?"_

_Jack turned to look at it. It really was amazing, the possibilities a simple emotion chip brought forth. He smiled at it through his tears. "Yeah, you can come sew up my arm. Try to do it so it'll scar in a graceful way. Maybe we could cut it up some more and make a sweet pattern…"_

_If a robot could smile, it would have done so there._

---

He could hear voices. In the quiet room of… wherever the hell he was, they seemed to boom at him, and he clenched his eyes as he felt a migraine settling just behind his left eyeball.

That small bit of pain aside, Jack found that he felt very little. He could feel the soft bed beneath him, and he could feel the thin sheet that was pulled up to his chest, but nothing more. He'd expect himself to be in much more pain, considering he'd just been unconscious, for that was usually the case. If pain was what knocked you out, you would also expect to come to in pain, but not in this case.

Then Jack noticed he was unable to move. Groggy and half asleep, he noticed that, in fact, he was unable to do very much at all. He found that he could open his eyes about half way before the candle light emitting from his nightstand beside his bed became too much, and that was it. He was not even able to groan in protest.

His intoxicated mind began to panic. _'What have they done to me…?'_

Looking around himself, he recognized the shapes of Master Fung, Kimiko and Raimundo off to his right. They were deep into a hushed discussion, and Jack could just make out some of the words exchanged.

"-done this? We checked everything out before locking up for the night. Did we miss something?" Raimundo seemed distraught.

"It would seem that things may come and go as they please. The Temple will need to be guarded more diligently from now on." Master Fung in his calm tone stated simply. "At the moment, Clay and Omi are searching the grounds."

Kimiko remained silent. For a terrifying second, she'd looked in his direction, but not before he'd quickly snapped his eyes shut again.

"I hope they find… whatever it was that did this." She said.

There was a prolonged silence, and Jack wanted to squirm uncomfortably as he felt their pity-filled gazes upon him. Finally, the wizened old man spoke.

"Come, young monks. Jack will need his rest."

With a jolt of panic, Jack's eyes snapped open again. They were leaving him _alone?_

With no way of getting their attention, he could only watch in terrified disbelief as the monks exited what apparently was the infirmary. _'Don't leave me.'_

Feeling betrayed and extremely vulnerable as the sliding door shut quietly behind the three monks, Jack took limited note of his condition. Attempting to wiggle his fingers was a failure, as was the toe test. He soon found that he could not even lift his head to look at his body. And the migraine that was supposed to have formed into a pounding array of pain by then was still festering only behind his left eye.

After a second, Jack understood, and when he finally figured it out, it seemed so obvious. They had drugged him with something powerful, and it had not yet worn off.

At that point, he should have allowed himself to succumb to the blissful call of sleep. He should have at least attempted to enjoy such a rare treat, but he knew somehow that sleep would mean certain death. Instead, he could only lie there, terrified.

But what would he do if it _did_ show up? Groan at it? He could barely do that, let alone defend himself. The unfairness of it all made him want to cry.

'_Why does my life always have to suck so bad…?' _

'_Hold on one sec, let me call whine-one-one, maybe they'll send over a whaaambulance for you.' _

Jacks tired eyes widened in fear as terrible, mocking laughter filled his head.

'_It's so unfair…' _His eyes began to tear up as a feeling of complete helplessness flooded him, turning his blood to ice. His stomach clenched with nerves, and he felt as though he would vomit. Now, he would surely die.

'_Life isn't supposed to be fair, Jackie boy.' _

Once again, the shadows began to shift and the subject of his most terrifying nightmares appeared before him as it had done earlier. Any light that had once existed in the room had been swallowed, and the dark was stifling.

Not caring who or what saw him, Jack began to cry.

'_Please… I don't want to die.'_

The figure before him laughed, a cruel, uncaring laugh. _'You're so pathetic, Jack Spicer. Such a wimpy little shit.' _

'_I've come too far to die like this. Too damn far.' _He was crying freely, tears streaming down his pale cheeks. He closed his eyes.

'_Goodnight, Jack.'_

But before the final blow was delivered, Jack summoned strength he had no idea existed within him, and used it to release one loud, desperate scream.

---

**A/N- Good news, everyone! I've figured out how to reply to your reviews. I shall start doing so after this chapter. And thanks again to all those who are reviewing! And all you guys who put the story on their alert lists but don't bother to review it… c'mon guys, I beg you. Please review. It's not that hard, I promise! **

**Reading through all your guy's guesses on what exactly Jack is seeing, I find myself shocked on how clueless you all are. It makes me happy how very able I am at keeping people in the dark. Keep guessing! **

**Thanks for waiting patiently. The next chapter should be up very soon.**

**Cheers.**


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